cartouche

[fernando]

Originally Posted by shayde78

... but to be a TRUE rapier, there must be a TRUE ricasso that the fingers can grip by hooking over the quillion, and yet still be protected by the guard. No such ricasso, not a rapier. Personally, I would call anything with this exposed ricasso a rapier regardless of length (within reason). Because these typically have long blades and heavy hilts, they were used to attack, while the off-hand provided defense...

Also this concept could be negotiated ... perhaps. Indeed it was implicit that, as rapiers they were conceived, a weapon to accompany a civilian for his protection and (potentially) street fencing, consisting of a thin long blade and a hand (cup bowl) protection being obliged. Past time, sturdier blades had to be taken into account, namely for military (and not only) purposes. And, on the other hand, these slender long blades started to equip also other sword variants; which, in my humble perspective, were those 'swords' with a 'rapier blade'.
Attached a cup hilt sword that you can hardly consider a rapier, due its 830X25 mm. blade, which has its ricasso resource so predominant that the grip can only lodge three fingers.

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[urbanspaceman]

Originally Posted by fernando

Beautiful sword.
Amazing thing; it never occurs to me calling these, and the like, rapier blades ... independently of their proportions. I take it those are a different universe .

Hi Fernando. I assumed this was a reference to my online name i.e. Urbanspaceman.
The world of 'Militaria' and etc does appear like an alien planet on frequent occasions; present company excepted of course.

[urbanspaceman]

Regarding the cartouche: mother-in-law did suggest "culo casto" as being a bawdy refrain; as I said earlier, her description was "common parlance in colloquial dialect". She obviously left it to her daughter (my ex) to explain its postural pertinence. I have lived with that meaning since, but when I came across that very similar alternative cartouche on a French blade I wondered if there was a common significance to the figure. Cupid definitely fits the bill on mine.
In regard to the business of 'rapier or not' your taxonomy, Shayde, is definitely worthy of an independent thread as you raise so many debateable issues that you should give everyone an opportunity to agree or disagree whenever. Consequently, I won't labour this thread's indulgence further in that regard except to say perhaps the 'schools' might be the ultimate arbiters; as you mention, how it is used is critical and to that end,I have to declare that the sword of mine in question with its 92cm relatively broad blade would take some strength to be used as a smallsword; however, given the size of the hilt, it was obviously commissioned for a hefty hand. Isn't this fun?

[fernando]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Hi Fernando. I assumed this was a reference to my online name i.e. Urbanspaceman.
The world of 'Militaria' and etc does appear like an alien planet on frequent occasions; present company excepted of course.

To tell you the truth, the last thing i had in mind was alluding to your username.
What i meant to say was that i viewed the subject (rapier blades as such), belonging in a different "domain" wich, in the present context, in my native language (and not only) directs the matter to something other than galatic perspectives .
Keep safe.